Dorfer



J. HOFFMAN. Lead and Crayon Holder.

|-w 2 3,5|2. Patented Jan. 13, 1880.

N4 PETERS, PHOTOLITHOGRAPHER. WAsmNGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH HOFFMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH REOKEN- DORFER, OF SAME PLACE.

LEAD AND CRAYON HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,512, dated January 13, 1880.

- Application filed October 25, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH HOFFMAN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pencil or Lead and Crayon Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in combining with a tubular lead-receiving case or handle leadholding spring-closed jaws, which normally close together, so as to grasp the lead or other article placed between them, the said jaws being actuated to open (against the stress of the elosin g spring or springs) by suitable in strumentalities arranged to be operated by hand.

Various instrumentalities can be usedto of feet the opening of thejaws against the stress of the closing-spring. One way of effecting the result is to project the closing-springs through the case or handle in such position that they may be pressed by hand, their ar rangement being such that when pressed they will release the hold of the jaws on the lead. It is this arrangement which is represented in the accompanying drawings, to which I will now refer.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal central section of a lead or crayon holder embodying my invention in its preferred form. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Ais the tubular case or handle, which, when made of wood, may terminate, as shown, in a metal sleeve or tube, B, attached to the handle, and provided with a contracted front end, in which are held the pivots a of the two jaws I). These jaws are perforated at proper points to receive the pivot-pins a, and have their acting ends, in this instance, projecting beyond the nose or front end of the sleeve B.

The metal inner lead-receiving tube, 0, ex tends forward about as far as the pivots a. The jaws are prolonged in rear of their pivots, these prolonged ends forming arms I), which are bowed, as shown, to constitute springs, (they are made of spring metal, such as steel, for instance,) the rear ends, b of which bear on the central tube, 0, and by their pressure thereon tend to cause the jaws to close to gether.

The bowed parts of the springs project through slots cl in the sheath or sleeve B, as shown, and are in position to be operated on by hand.

In order to open the jaws the bowed springs are pressed together between the thumb and finger, their rear ends sliding on the tube 0, the result of the movement being that the jaws b will be caused to separate, and thus release their grasp on the lead. The moment pressure is released from the springs they will expand, and in so doing will again close the aws.

I have described one way of accomplishing the result I have in view. Itis manifest, however, that the same result may be attained in other ways. The arms b, for instance, need not be springs, but may rest on or be acted on by springs, which will tend to cause them to move apart, thus closing the jaws in front. So, too, the arms need not project through the case, but may be acted on against the stress of the jaw-closing springs by a compressing device, such as a movable conical sleeve adapted to slide on and compress them together, and operated to so move by a sleeve or other device on the exterior of the sheath with which it may be united.

ldo not restrict myself, therefore, to the particular construct-ion herein shown in illustration of my invention; but

\Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a pencil orlead and crayon holder, the combination, with the tubular case or sheath, of hinged or pivoted spring-closed jaws for grasping the lead and means for opening said jaws against the spring-pressure, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the case or handle, the central lead-receiving tube, and the lead-holding jaws provided with spring-anus projecting through the ease in position to be acted on by hand to effect the opening of the jaws.

I11 testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of October, A. D. 1879.

JOSEPH HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

O. S. BRAISTED, Jon W. SWAINE. 

